For several decades interest in the application of the non-traditional treatment techniques for the relief of body pain and other organic irregularities has increased. An important area of these non-traditional techniques is called Diathetic Medicine, which is related to the constitutional tendency of the human body to suffer certain diseases.
Diathetic medicine includes two branches: acupuncture and catalytic medicine. Acupuncture consists of the physical stimulation of certain points of the skin, through needles, massages (or acupressure) or moxibustion. Moxibustion is the combustion of certain substances applied to certain points on the skin. The object of this local stimulation on the skin, according to the principles of acupuncture, is to manipulate the energy that circulates through certain meridians in the organism. According to this principle, several kinds of pain and organic dysfunctions are due to irregularities in the flux of energy due to congestions produced in certain nodes of the meridians.
Catalytic or diathetic medicine bases its treatment in the prescription of certain trace elements such as manganese, copper, cobalt, gold, silver, zinc, etc., whose catalytic presence causes important chemical reactions in the organism that modify the metabolism. The efficiency of this technique has motivated its study in the main occidental medical investigation centers.
A variety of devices and apparatus are known that allow the stimulation of the energetic points of the body, through the application of small electric discharges on certain points of the skin. Several mechanical and electromechanical apparatus have been developed that allow one to carry out massages on points on the skin. These mechanical and electromechanical apparatus, designed to practice point stimulation on the skin, do not allow comfortable access to certain parts of the body such as the back. The back has a large number of points that can be stimulated for the relief of frequent pain such as lumbago, headache, etc. These devices can be used by the masseur or the operator to work on the therapeutic actions on the patient. It is always better for the affected person or patient to stimulate the key points. In this manner he or she can locate with greater precision the points where the stimulus must be applied to obtain greater relief.
The use of magnets as an alternative treatment of the body has developed, based on the observation of the sensitivity of the human body to the geomagnetic field. The geomagnetic field is considered important to maintain many biological functions and systems. People who are not sufficiently exposed to the geomagnetic field such as workers in highrise buildings with steel superstructures can suffer backache, headache, insomnia, etc. Magnets have been applied to the body to relieve many of these problems.
A problem with self massage or acupressure originates when the subject must use strength and asymmetrical positions to reach appropriate points of stimulation. A method and apparatus to overcome these problems and which permits the application of all of these techniques of acupressure, catalytic medicine and magnet treatment is needed. A human thumb bone structure typically can only exert about 1-2 lbs. of pressure, while effective acupressure requires about 5 lbs. pressure.